Dr Abdourahmane Diouf Accuses Pastef Leadership of Undermining President Faye
In a candid appearance on a national broadcast, Senegal’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Dr Abdourahmane Diouf, addressed the deepening rifts within the ruling Pastef party. As a founding member of the KIIRAAY movement, he delivered a scathing critique of the party’s internal fractures, particularly the escalating tensions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and opposition figure Ousmane Sonko.
Speaking with unfiltered clarity, Dr Diouf placed the blame squarely on Pastef’s leadership, asserting that the party had deliberately undermined the president’s mandate. “The Head of State has remained unwavering in his commitment to his promises. It is Pastef itself—and its leader—that chose to isolate and betray him, rendering his presidency unworkable,” he declared. The minister emphasized that President Faye, upon recognizing the disloyalty of his political allies—most notably Ousmane Sonko—took decisive action to protect his agenda.
Dr Diouf extended his criticism to former government colleagues who have publicly distanced themselves from the administration. He clarified that they had abandoned their posts voluntarily, without coercion, thereby stripping the president of the parliamentary majority needed to implement his policies. “They left by choice, not by force, and in doing so, they sabotaged the very foundation of governance,” he noted.
Plea for Stability and a Renewed Mandate
Looking ahead to the remainder of the presidential term, the minister urged national unity and endorsed President Faye’s bid for re-election. This stance, he explained, was the driving force behind his decision to establish a new political party. Dr Diouf also lambasted Pastef’s internal inconsistencies, highlighting how party officials frequently contradict one another while publicly lecturing on moral principles.
The minister’s remarks underscore the mounting pressures facing Senegal’s political landscape, as factions within Pastef grapple with loyalty, leadership, and the future direction of the country.
